This story wasn't bad, I suppose. I didn't particularly enjoy it, but it was short and easy to read. So basically, it's about a woman named Eveline who has told this guy, Frank, that she will run away with him to Buenos Ayres where he has a house. Almost all of the story, except the ending, revolves around her trying to make the choice of whether or not to leave. She seems almost certain of her choice when the story starts, but the more she thinks about it the more she starts to doubt herself.
It kind of reminded me of Romeo in Juliet when it talks about how they had to see each other in secret, which is pretty great because I love Romeo and Juliet, and basically all Shakespeare. I think that's the reason I kept reading, because it reminded me of the play. Anyway then it talks about her mother's dying wish and how she wanted Eveline to keep the house as long as she could, and Eveline begins to feel terrible about this promise she made. Her mother keeps shouting "Derevaun Seraun", which means "The end of pleasure is pain". I wasn't sure what that had to do with the story, but it was interesting nevertheless.
Then finally, at the end of the story, when they are about to leave together she has a change of heart. I guess the guilt from her mother's dying wish, which seems to be the main reason she stays behind, catches up to her and she decides not to go. It says "Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition." And I mean, you can't help feeling bad for the poor guy. She promised her she'd leave with him and at the last second she bailed. I wonder what he did after?
Throughout the entire story I wasn't sure if Eveline actually loved Frank the way she thought she did, mostly because when she thinks about the things she'd get if she ran away she says "He would give her life, perhaps love, too." Perhaps? So you mean, you run away with a guy to a foreign place that you have no idea how things are and THEN you learn to love him? That doesn't sit right with me. Anyway, she doesn't go after so I guess maybe she realized how she actually felt. Not a terrible story, but not something I'd read for fun.
i like that your completely honest about this short story because i hadn't read it nor will i now haha , you explained it very thoroughly and i got the entire run down just through your post so thanks !!!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't really get into this story and read it because I had to, to be honest I haven't even read it all yet, and I don't think I am about to!! Maybe derevaun seraun ( the end of pleasure is pain) means that even if she runs away with Frank and is happy the rest of her life, on her deathbed or even every night after having a great day, she will remember the promise she made to her mom and will feel guilty, thus never being completely happy! Who knows!!
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